The International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF) and the American Press Institute (API) are pleased to announce a new partnership providing holistic training and education on online violence. As online attacks against journalists continue to threaten press freedom and journalists’ wellbeing, the organizations will collaborate to bolster digital safety in the news media.
The partnership will build on the IWMF’s unique model of identity-conscious digital safety support by offering ongoing training to combat violence to news organizations in API programs, including alumni of The Table Stakes Local News Transformation program and participants in the Source Matters diversity tracking cohort. Led by digital safety expert Ela Stapley, these sessions will work to improve the policies of API’s news partners in addressing online attacks, as well as help implement mental health and trauma response protocols for staff experiencing abuse online.
“News organizations depend on us to help them adapt to the needs of their teams and the times, so embracing online safety training is an essential element of our work,” said API Executive Director and CEO Michael D. Bolden. “The IWMF’s first-rate training will enable API to help news leaders better protect their journalists from online violence so they can advance the critical work of building healthy local news organizations focused on serving their communities.”
As part of the partnership, the IWMF will also take over weekly Monday special editions of API’s ‘Need to Know’ newsletter from March 13 until April 3 to bring digital safety knowledge to broader audiences. Thought leaders in preventing online violence in journalism will share their perspectives on the issue as well as resources and precautions to help journalists stay safe online. API will amplify all of the material through a social media campaign.
“Online violence is designed to silence journalists’ voices and censor them from reporting the truth,” said Nadine Hoffman, Deputy Director of the IWMF. “We’re thrilled to team up with API to show journalists ways to care for their safety and wellbeing before, during and after an online attack.”
Sign up for API’s newsletter here. For more information on newsroom safety training and 1:1 consultations from the IWMF, visit iwmf.org/programs/online-harassment/.
About the International Women’s Media Foundation
The IWMF is the only global organization built to serve the holistic needs of women and nonbinary journalists. We are a bold and inclusive organization that supports journalists where they are with awards, reporting opportunities, fellowships, grants, safety training and emergency aid. As one of the largest supporters of women-produced journalism, our transformative work strengthens equal opportunity and press freedom worldwide. Follow the IWMF on Twitter at @IWMF, on Facebook at @IWMFPage, on Instagram on @TheIWMF and on TikTok @theiwmf.
About the American Press Institute
The American Press Institute helps develop, support and sustain healthy local news organizations with a focus on civic discourse and democracy; culture and inclusion; community engagement and trust; and revenue and resilience. We believe that for democracies to thrive people need accurate news and information about their communities, the problems of civil society and the debates over how to solve them. That requires a financially sustainable free press that reflects the diversity of American society and understands the needs of its communities. API is a national 501(c)3 nonprofit educational organization affiliated with the News Media Alliance.
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